1 minute ago, Mitkof Island said:

Most of it is drama nothing more. YT vloggers love all the drama brings views. Immigration needs to focus on quality foreigners . Have money, don,t look like a slob, have the correct visa etc. Thailand is easy compared to most.

It's not Monaco <deleted> , get a grip of reality!

When will people start to get assessed at point of origin??

The carriers are going to get pissed off with this after a while

4 minutes ago, Mitkof Island said:

I think no money is enough of a reason like in most countries. No true justification ?????

Not having 20,000 Baht in cash on your person does not mean you have no money. The idea that in a modern technological society, people should have to carry relatively large amounts of cash with them at all times, is just ludicrous. People have ATM cards, debit cards and credit cards - why should they need to carry cash (beyond a small amount for minor, incidental purchases) as well?

 

I also don't understand the mention of not having insurance. So far as I'm aware, although there have been vague hints of a possible future requirement for tourists to have insurance, there is nothing that is currently applicable or enforceable.

Let's realise that we are dealing with a legal system that is still very much into paper in all forms.

Most countries are into plastic credit cards.  We do paper cash!

 

Frankly in the past 10 years I have always travelled internationally with the equivalent of USD 500 cash in some form or I would be stupid!

 

Just think about it this way.  If you don't have a chunk of cash in your hand before you leave, and there is a potential to get denied entry you are stupid. 

 

I'm sure the cost of your plane ticket is a lot more than USD 500, so if you are ready to leave home without USD 500 cash, be prepared to also throw away the cost of the plane ticket, and screw up your trip.

 

Most other countries in Asia give non resident ID cards to keep track of foreigners.  We have to do paper TM30 reports every time we travel in country!

14 minutes ago, Sticky Wicket said:

Who on earth travels to another country with over 500 quid of foreign currency??

The exchange rates for changing currency in our home countries are beyond brutal!

People come here and then change at Super Rich or other places at their destination

Also why don't they notify all the embassies that this is a prerequisite to entering so they can update their pages.

Most people wouldn't have a scooby about it

They do!

42 minutes ago, Lucius verus said:

Man handbags.

Thai thugs "nark leng" all over Bangkok have one for collecting  baht from illegal samlors, baht buses, gaming dens and pool halls.

All the leaders are connected to a local police station and no doubt immigration officers in tourist dives.

If a tourist has a manbag ..no joy!

Same as tourist attempting a wai.

You mean "นักเลง." There is no "r" in "นัก." Not trying to be a jerk but this incorrect romanization of Thai really burns my biscuits. 

12 minutes ago, Sticky Wicket said:

It's not Monaco <deleted> , get a grip of reality!

It does not matter where you travel . Reality is it is up to immigration. If you look like a slob it sure ain,t going to help. Now does it?

No Insurance, No money, NO entry into the Kingdom.  Immigration is tightening up better than Trumps wall.

6 minutes ago, Mitkof Island said:

They do!

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand

 

Can't see it on here

What if you transfer money to your bank account in Thailand before you come and you only carry small cash and credit cards.

Sure I they are not going to knock you back because you don't have 20,000 Baht cash on you.

4 minutes ago, Mitkof Island said:

It does not matter where you travel . Reality is it is up to immigration. If you look like a slob it sure ain,t going to help. Now does it?

It just feels all very arbitrary and the fact they won't even look at the cash sometimes makes it worse.

A lot of people like to travel casually as it's comfortable.

If you have been travelling for 20 hours+ you aren't going to be at your freshest anyway. 

Just now, nev said:

What if you transfer money to your bank account in Thailand before you come and you only carry small cash and credit cards.

Sure I they are not going to knock you back because you don't have 20,000 Baht cash on you.

They do it all the time. They even knock back people with 20k on them & won't even look at the cash.

Highly likely there was something amiss in their passports, like too many visa runs or spending too much time in Thailand to just be a tourist. 

 

The money and insurance was just the official excuse.

 

I don't see how this is a bad thing. If tourists have no money to support themselves as a tourist, then they either have to work or scam.

well its probably a good thing catching those arriving with out Money and no insurance  to cover their stay 

here in Thailand 

looking at the countries where they are coming from say no more 

most western tourists will have money  plus return tickets not to sure about Insurance but most street wise people will have 

Som Nom Nuew Na.

 

No money-No entry.

6 minutes ago, Mansinthe said:

You are not required to bring baht. You are able to show 20.000 baht worth of money in your own countries currency.

 

Is it really that crazy to get a proper visa in your own country , a healt insurance and 500 bucks if you want to stay in another country for more than a few days?

 

They want to see baht, you don't think they are going to spend 5 minutes trying to calculate your currency do you!!

4 minutes ago, shackleton said:

well its probably a good thing catching those arriving with out Money and no insurance  to cover their stay 

here in Thailand 

looking at the countries where they are coming from say no more 

most western tourists will have money  plus return tickets not to sure about Insurance but most street wise people will have 

They shouldn't even be allowed on the plane in the first place then

2 minutes ago, Sticky Wicket said:

They want to see baht, you don't think they are going to spend 5 minutes trying to calculate your currency do you!!

It is in fact any currency, as long as it's convertible to the requisite amount of baht but yes, it has to be cash. Cards, bank statements etc wont do it.

Please, help me.....I'm so afraid to carry $700. USD cash, the bad man may rob me. 

48 minutes ago, Sticky Wicket said:

Who on earth travels to another country with over 500 quid of foreign currency??

The exchange rates for changing currency in our home countries are beyond brutal!

People come here and then change at Super Rich or other places at their destination

Also why don't they notify all the embassies that this is a prerequisite to entering so they can update their pages.

Most people wouldn't have a scooby about it

 

Take your home currency. I do....and then take it back home again. It's just another inconvenience.

A troll post and reply removed

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

I find it hard to believe that so many people in one day arrived without any money. As we all know the ATM machines are located AFTER immigration, and we have all heard of countless occasions when people with plenty of money have been denied before they got that far. As for being denied for no insurance, I wasn't aware that had become mandatory yet.

From news story
"Or without insurance as announced by the Minister of Immigration Act BE 2522."

I see nothing in Immigration act BE 2522 about insurance?

Too bloody right if you haven’t got the common sense to have tourist insurance go home! Dumb <deleted>!

If you don’t have funds to take complete care of yourself then don’t travel!!

to anyone on this forum who uses this story as a platform to trash Thailand and Thai law you can go back to your country of origin too.

2 minutes ago, Tropposurfer said:

Too bloody right if you haven’t got the common sense to have tourist insurance go home! Dumb <deleted>!

If you don’t have funds to take complete care of yourself then don’t travel!!

to anyone on this forum who uses this story as a platform to trash Thailand and Thai law you can go back to your country of origin too.

Sorry Khun Prayut

20 minutes ago, Traubert said:

It is in fact any currency, as long as it's convertible to the requisite amount of baht but yes, it has to be cash. Cards, bank statements etc wont do it.

I'm not convinced, I've heard numerous stories about it being thai baht only.

How would they be able to read the country of origin of the notes?

IMO they aren't going to mess about verifying the country of origin and working out if it is over 20k

A few years ago I got to Victory Monument and I had no Thai cash. 

Trying to change a 20 quid note with Thais was like I was some kind of witch doctor. It was early in the morning and no exchanges were open. It took almost an hour before somebody could recognise the note and it's worth

1 hour ago, Sticky Wicket said:

Who on earth travels to another country with over 500 quid of foreign currency??

The exchange rates for changing currency in our home countries are beyond brutal!

People come here and then change at Super Rich or other places at their destination

Also why don't they notify all the embassies that this is a prerequisite to entering so they can update their pages.

Most people wouldn't have a scooby about it

I don't think that they will deny you when you've got the amount in a foreign currency. 

I think every country has its rule on border control to make sure that whoever enter the border complywith the rule. If not they are to be sent back from where they came.

For this particular case the mentioned coutries should have their rules also. It is quite often the case that Korea happens to refuse entry to Thai travelers who fail to meet their rule. And if their travelers fail to comply with our rule, we have to send them back to.

 

2 hours ago, Oliver Holzerfilled said:

Looks like immigration doesn't like guys who carry man purses.

If you hadn't noticed 'man purses' as you call them (shoulder bags is probably more correct) are and have been popular with men from many countries., for many years.

 

Take a look on a building site and other situations, you'll see that 90% or more of the labourers all carry a shoulder bag even while labouring.

I knew some guy who got refused entry from NZ same thing lack of funds

12 minutes ago, Isaanbiker said:

I don't think that they will deny you when you've got the amount in a foreign currency. 

Scooby? This is an English language webboard.